20 Jan 2019 13:16:07
Just watched goals on Sunday and they rightly picked out Salah’s dive and were comparing to the likes of Kane and Vardy and saying it should be eradicated from the game. I absolutely agree with.
However, in the same breath they picked out Ayew holding on to VVD’s waist preventing him challenging for a ball. This they called good play.
What does everyone think? In my book cheating is cheating and if you want to eradicate cheating then it has to be all it’s forms.
You could say Ayew’s is worse as it obviously premeditated and something they’ve worked on in an attempt to con the referee and gain an advantage.

Bobbys Blinders

{Ed002's Note - I am with you about the holding and wrestling - it is wrong. There needs to be an effort to resolve it and they need to get it in to the annual briefing that referees gives each club. Salah needs to get this diving out of the game otherwise we will continue to get the bleating from his agent about him being called a cheat by other players who are, apparently, failing to show him the respect he deserves.}

1.) 20 Jan 2019 14:13:22
Didn't see it so often before (maybe I wasn't looking for it) but this falling over at the slightest touch is now becoming regular in Salah's game. Somebody needs to have a talk with him and tell him to cut it out. Not needed and he has the talent to do without.

{Ed001's Note - I think it was Ed002 that said about it, though he is correct about it, I don't remember discussing it. Klopp has had words with him and I am sure there will be more had if he continues.}

3.) 20 Jan 2019 16:31:49
The annoying thing is, if he stayed on his feet, he’d have a decent chance of actually getting on the ball fairly and working the keeper! Last thing he needs is to get a reputation or he won’t be awarded decisions when they are genuine. Remember suarez should have been given multiple penalties in his second full season, but unfortunately had already tarnished himself with all the refs with his self destruct antics prior.

{Ed002's Note - After the second Chelsea game last season where Salah had been booked for diving Klopp had made it clear in his post match press conference and to the player it is unacceptable - and issues had been raised previously about a "star jump" in a prior game against Chelsea and more than one dive in a game about Crystal Palace. It has been asked that Liverpool request referees to give Salah protection from being accused of diving - obviously they cannot do that. The worry must be that his reputation can end up costing Liverpool if valid fouls are not given.}

5.) 20 Jan 2019 17:25:16
Agreed ed2. It’s annoying that some of the best players in the world feel they need to do it, when in reality if they didn’t, most defenders can’t get anywhere near them! Not deflecting anything from salah as he’s a culprit, but the biggest example is neymar, every game without fail. The sooner VAR comes in the better. It might slow the game down, but will eventually eradicate the cheating chappie.

6.) 20 Jan 2019 19:11:10
Valid fouls not given, like the one where salho kicked him in the back of the leg?

For me a dive is when there is no contact. Was watching newcastle highlights and seen perez get pulled from behind in the box but he carries on to then miss his chance on goal. This has happened to salah too. We all know had they gone to ground the ref would have called a pen.

For me the rule makers and implemeneters have to take an approach where they are promoting the behavious they want to see from players. So in those situations a player keeps his feet but get his effort saved, pull it back and call a pen too. Give the defender a yellow card etc etc. Give VAR instant access to replays of incidents in the box. this might be a bit radical, but perhaps for sakho and sah you give the pen for sakho's challenge cos he clearly kicks him in the bag of the leg, and why does a player need to fall over for it be a foul? And then maybe you giv a warning or even a yellow to salah for "milking it".

7.) 20 Jan 2019 20:04:31
What gets me is they seem to pick on certain players to accuse of diving yet over look others, same game yesterday zaha goes down not touched and no mention of it anywhere. In the fa cup Fulham player jumps up falls over no contact yet even with VAR still get a pen, no mention of the dive, arsenal midfielder in the game before they played Liverpool dives gets told to get up by the ref not booked, no mention of the dive, hazard yesterday goes down screaming in the box when aubameyang cleanly wins the ball no mention of him going down to easy. If they want cheating stopped highlight it all and not selective players only. And salah was clearly kicked by sakho goes down embarrassingly like he did against newcastle where he was also pulled both incidents wouldn't cause him to fall as he did though, but how often do you hear commentators say when they do stay up if he was to go down there it would be a pen, refs not giving fouls to players who stay on there feet helps encourage players to go down also. Rose getting booked for a dive today clear foul on him the other week same ref player dives tells him to get up no punishment what so ever. Start giving players retrospective yellow cards for diving, you could ban them but when a player gets yellow card on the pitch for diving it seems a bit much to ban another because the ref never took action or didn't see it. and the same for all the holding and it may be a start to cleaning up the game. Pogba pen yesterday to me was a dive but them incidents like kane's superman dives where he leaves his foot in on the keeper may be a bit trickier to solve as it's down to a person's intepretation of the incident but a lot are so easy to see and deal with.

8.) 21 Jan 2019 00:53:23
Simulation has gone on for decades at every club. I don't see how it can be truely regulated as some legitimate fouls look like the player is being dramatic and some serial divers are very well-practiced at making them look realistic. I don't see how VAR will be the solution when, even on slo-mo replay, its so hard to distinguish between a true foul and a simulation.
Of Salahs last 4 penalties/ claims, i would suggest 3 were legitimate fouls and one was a dive but im sure others would have completely differing opinions (particularly those at rival clubs or those who’s teams he won a penalty against) .

9.) 21 Jan 2019 09:51:24
Spot on, Pt84 and Faithworks. A dive is a lunge forward WITHOUT contact and people need to stop redefining it to suit their agendas. For the record, Salah is going down way too easily (or flopping) after contact and he needs to stop that and not leave himself and the team, penalized in the future for fouls or penalties not given. The penalties vs Newcastle was a penalty IMO, cos it was reveiwed after the game and confirmed even tho he went down easily. The Arsenal and BHA penalties where stone wall as well so again, correct decisions. Vs Palace, he flopped at the first contact which was not enuff to make him go down so that has to stop.

Now like Faithinworks and Pt, I think the media want to pick on who they want to pick on and protect others. Before Salah came to LFC, players like Vardy, Hazard and Zaha have been diving and winning fouls for nothing. I don't remember this type of outrage from the media and the authorities. Also, Diver Alli, Lamela and Harry Klaim were serial divers all last season BUT their hypocrite manager blatantly defended them in the media these same pundits were not outraged about that. Same thing in that Palace game. Zaha blatantly dived with NO contact from Milner BUT there was complete radio silence from the same people who are outraged by Salah going down easily AFTER CONTACT. If you're going to eradicate diving then call it out at every turn and not pick and choose who you want to protect or bring down.

I also agree with Faithinworks, that refs should incentivize those players who stay on their feet by awarding the foul after the advantage is gone. Say if a player gets challenged in the box BUT stays on his feet and misses the chance, the play should be brought back and the penalty MUST be awarded. Such a rule already exists in football BUT it is NEVER enforced as much as it should. That will help clean this up a fair bit, IMO.

10.) 21 Jan 2019 15:26:33
My original post wasn’t supposed to turn this in to a Salah bashing although it is frustrating to see a player go to ground so easily.
He is by no means the only culprit here though just watch Harry Kane and Vardy to see it’s wormed it’s way in to all clubs, players and nationalities. Kane for me is the worst culprit in the Premier League.

My post was more to point out that diving isn’t the only way players cheat but seems to have the worst response. As I said you get a team training their players to grab, block, trip at set pieces and it’s deemed clever play.

There was another instance today when Otamendi stepped across a Huddersfield player to clearly block him from tracking Fernandinho’s run giving Fernandinho an unmarked header. Again the commentator says it’s clever from Otamendi. He made no attempt to go for the ball and clearly just stepped across the defender to impede him tracking Fernandinho. That’s just as much cheating as diving as far as I’m concerned but is viewed completely differently. Why?

21 Dec 2018 23:57:26
Tell you what, if Brazilian lemons are as good as Fabinho I’m going to bin the Jif next pancake day!

Bobbys Blinders

1.) 22 Dec 2018 12:22:36
I've long since left Liverpool, but what I wouldn't give to be a travelling supporter in the away end at the end of another solid win and see the Jurgenmeister giving it the fist pump to the Liverpool fans. I know a number on here do travel away. how good does that feel?

14 Dec 2018 20:09:42
With all the Alisson love at the moment I thought I’d post an observation that you really don’t hear people talk about with keepers and that is pace. He has genuine pace and brilliant acceleration from a standing start.
It not only helps when he’s sweeping up behind the defence but it helps him move his feet quickly to make saves and in particular helps him close the angle quickly on one on ones and forces the striker to rush.
Just wondering if anyone else had noticed it because I really don’t think I’ve ever really considered it being a major asset for a keeper before.

Bobbys Blinders

{Ed025's Note - all he is short of really bobby is a red cape and to wear his undies over his kecks.. :)

2.) 14 Dec 2018 21:14:10
He's the best human being in history. Pace of Usain Bolt, agility of Tom Daley, strength of Dwayne Johnson, good looks of Chris Hemsworth, goalkeeping ability of Lev Yashin, passing of Xabi Alonso, intelligence of Stephen Hawking, modesty of Mahatma Ghandi, and the touch of Diego Maradonna. Did I mention his voice is more beautiful than that of Celine Dion?

{Ed025's Note - i see a bit of a man crush developing there MK, playing devils advocate i think hes a very good keeper who is having an amazing run of good luck, he has saved shots with his leg, stomach, arse, and inner thigh in the last few weeks mate and i know thats spreading yourself well but most of the time they still end up in the back of the net, that sort of luck does not last forever and i just hope you stand by him when it turns..

{Ed025's Note - things can change very quickly when it comes to keepers wolverine, todays superman can become next seasons mr bean mate..

11.) 15 Dec 2018 10:14:27
It's standard operating procedure, Ed025. After we bought him and at the start of the season he was supposedly not as good as Pickford, De Gea, Courtois, Kepa and Oblak and others. Now that he is being called "the best goalkeeper in the World" by many, he is being considered "just very lucky". And there are still people criticizing him and there undoubtedly will be even if he has clean sheets for the rest of the season. Basically, "and the beat goes on". 😉.

{Ed025's Note - i cant knock the start he has had ArAy, they say you make your own luck in this game mate so good luck to him..

12.) 15 Dec 2018 11:20:46
I appreciate your candor Ed25, gritted/ grinding teeth notwithstanding. As for Allison, I don't believe it is just luck, as some define it to be. Luck can be defined as "when preparation meets opportunity". I see this in Allison. The guy is supper-concentrated for all 95 mins. He can have near nothing to do all game long like vs Napoli and STILL pull out a season-saving stop like vs Everton or Napoli. That is not luck. That is a guy who works hard on his craft, doesn't talk to the media and now to some extent, is getting into opposition teams' head.

I also agree that the more you play, the luckier you get BUT in this case, the harder you work, the luckier you get. Why? Cos if you are always at the ready, you will see things before they happen and snuff it out. or as they say in the NFL, "The field becomes smaller as you work harder and prepare intensively". Allison is the best GK right now in the PL. In Europe? We shall see.

{Ed025's Note - its not all luck red wolf the guy has made 2 world class blocks but luck does have a part to play, if the ball hits his thigh and goes in against gomes in the derby and then VVD,s miss kick goes over the bar then you lose, in the same way that his save in the napoli game knocks you out, luck certainly has a part to play in all games but its not totally down to that mate..

13.) 15 Dec 2018 20:04:42
At work longthing76. Been working 60-70 hour weeks. I'm off until the 14th of January though so I may be bothering you guys again for a while!

10 Dec 2018 21:27:13
What happened there? Everton were winning, I went out to make a cuppa come back and they’re 2-1 down and Siggurdson is missing a pen! It’s a funny old game! Well I’m laughing anyway! 😂.

Bobbys Blinders

1.) 10 Dec 2018 23:39:37
The Everton comedy goals DVD is going to be great this season.

08 Dec 2018 00:44:01
Just watching the debate on Sky and if I could ring their necks I would. They’ve made Klopp’s comments all about that one tackle by Mee on Gomez when that is really not what he said! It was the tackles previous to that on Gomez and Moreno in particular when they made sure to go through the player after the ball had gone!
If you’re going to debate a point then at least debate the right bloody point you absolute imbeciles!
Sorry guys needed to vent but had no one else to vent to! Thanks for listening ;)

3.) 08 Dec 2018 10:33:28
Sorry Ed I was angry! I’ve calmed down now so I can see my error, I did of course mean wring.
Cheers for the support guys and I agree it was a moment of madness even watching the show never mind the stupidity of actually falling for it! Played right into their hands there didn’t I?!

{Ed001's Note - we have all done it, the key is to learn from it and avoid it in future!}

4.) 08 Dec 2018 10:41:59
And this is why I watch/ listen to none of them. Full of overpaid gobsh*tes who pretend like they know what they're talking about when in fact they haven't got a clue lol I can't handle that. You have Ed1 or Ed2 on one of these programs then sure it's worth the watch because they know what they're talking about! Not many people in the know though that's the problem, these fellas speak out of their arses and their main objective is trying to make what they say come across as believable! Not for me.

{Ed001's Note - talk****e do it as well and now Radio 5 live. It is wrong and should be banned. The phone lines should not be allowed to be premium rate and then I bet we would soon see those kind of shows junked.}

6.) 08 Dec 2018 11:02:03
It’s so annoying isn’t it? You tune in to sporting broadcasts to watch or listen to some interesting, insightful, maybe even educational debate and all you get is a bunch of imbecilic ex professionals, cross eyed, bouncing up and down on the desk and bashing themselves over head with a wooden club.

I realise the broadcasters like to create stories, agendas and emphasis on certain baseless nonsense, but I just don’t understand why they put such buffoons on their programmes. Is it because most of the audience are equally as stupid or because buffoons can debate nonsense for longer? Like throwing a Rubik’s cube in a cage of monkeys and watching them try to hit things with it, thereby engaging the viewer through annoyance of the sapien ineptitude.

7.) 08 Dec 2018 11:02:10
I know Ed mate, I'd hate to think of how much they cost but I bet its at least a fiver now, robbing buggers. Same goes for them text messages though isn't it, you text a 5 digit number I think and it can cost you a bloody fortune! So not only do they enjoy pissing people off, they take pleasure in robbing you whilst doing so! I can't and won't support anything like that, it's wrong on too many levels and the sad thing is, they're all doing it! Like you correctly say though, they take this away and we'd see the whole lot crash down, I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep.

15 Jan 2019 21:24:44
Epic every player you mentioned there is a forward or winger where you can afford to make more mistakes. At the back you simply can’t. If we had a 16 year old at the back Palace would target him with everything they’ve got and it could set him back immeasurably.
Why not just player Milner there who we know we can trust until Gomez and TAA are back. Simples.

12 Jan 2019 11:39:53
Unbelievable isn’t it? After all that he and Barcelona pulled to get him there a year later they’ve realised he’s not as good as they thought.
I always loved Coutinho but he wasn’t quick enough to play our system properly. Play him in the front 3 and you lose Mane or Salah, play him in midfield and he slows the play too much.
Surely Barcelona will want close to what they paid for him too? He’s simply not worth that.

21 Jan 2019 15:26:33
My original post wasn’t supposed to turn this in to a Salah bashing although it is frustrating to see a player go to ground so easily.
He is by no means the only culprit here though just watch Harry Kane and Vardy to see it’s wormed it’s way in to all clubs, players and nationalities. Kane for me is the worst culprit in the Premier League.

My post was more to point out that diving isn’t the only way players cheat but seems to have the worst response. As I said you get a team training their players to grab, block, trip at set pieces and it’s deemed clever play.

There was another instance today when Otamendi stepped across a Huddersfield player to clearly block him from tracking Fernandinho’s run giving Fernandinho an unmarked header. Again the commentator says it’s clever from Otamendi. He made no attempt to go for the ball and clearly just stepped across the defender to impede him tracking Fernandinho. That’s just as much cheating as diving as far as I’m concerned but is viewed completely differently. Why?

21 Jan 2019 14:45:17
KMan I’d say City last season was our toughest test they were arguably the best team in Europe at the time.
Bayern are nowhere near that. One thing they do have is experience so we have to be very wary of them but there are tougher tests to come if we get through.

20 Jan 2019 21:48:07
I’ve spoken to McAteer about the day he signed for us. He was in a meeting with Dalglish at Blackburn as we hadn’t come in for him so he was about to sign for them. Next thing his agent has taken a call and told him Roy Evans wanted to see him as Liverpool had agreed a fee with Bolton. He explained this to Kenny and said he wanted to speak to Liverpool. Kenny told him if he leaves his office the deal is off, so he grabbed his coat and made his way to Liverpool!
He also said he got into loads of trouble with Bolton for celebrating with the league cup after we beat them at Wembley! 😂 Quality!